Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6800
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
As I said, it depends on where you are! I spent a week in northern Norway in June some years back, and basically time sort of stopped, with the sun up 24 hours a day!
There's a reason a light source is no longer one of the "ten" essentials above the Arctic Circle in midsummer!
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey
Or, you can try hiking the "old way", as in before electric lights. My wife's grandmother (died at 94) was a backwoods gal who used to walk through the 'holler' to the neighbors (couple miles) with a coal oil lantern IF they had fuel to spare, but the light of the moon was her guide, usually. They didn't walk around with torches like in the movies. I've tried hiking with a candle lantern but put it out because my hand got hot. Back then, light was expensive! Star and moonlight was free and no one knew to miss LED headlamps and such. Go out and night navigate the old way. Dark didn't stop anyone from moving around.
Registered: 01/16/13
Posts: 913
Loc: Nacogdoches, TX, USA
The town where I live has a short but nice urban trail that manages to not be too urban. I've been tempted to hike it at night many times, but by far the most dangerous animal around is people. I'm always worried I'll come up on some meth head hiding his stash or something. I have been out on it a few times in the dark, but never too late or too long. Shame too, because there's lots of wildlife right here in town: owls, raccoons, lots of deer, etc. Just think about the dangers of your particular area and exercise due caution.
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The journey is more important than the destination.
The town where I live has a short but nice urban trail that manages to not be too urban. I've been tempted to hike it at night many times, but by far the most dangerous animal around is people. I'm always worried I'll come up on some meth head hiding his stash or something. I have been out on it a few times in the dark, but never too late or too long. Shame too, because there's lots of wildlife right here in town: owls, raccoons, lots of deer, etc. Just think about the dangers of your particular area and exercise due caution.
I often hike a stretch of an urban trail at night. Along the way, I wonder if coyotes eat people. So far, they haven't. Truthfully, I'm most afraid of being hassled by the police at night while road walking. They have slowed several times, and a sheriff stopped one time, and then drove on without talking to me. Someone in my HOA complained because I often walk around with a pack. They say I look homeless. People...sighs. How else am I supposed to carry groceries home?
About 20 years ago there was a cross country ski trail near my house. I frequently went on it about 9:00 PM. It was about a 1 hour loop. Several times there was a police cruiser waiting for me when I got back. They never talked to me once they saw that I was on skis. It was near the runway of the airport so there was enough light to see if you knew where the trail went. It was a very enjoyable exercise. There were a few homeless folks camping in the area but they were long term and everyone knew about them and they never bothered anyone.
Registered: 02/27/15
Posts: 14
Loc: CT River Valley
Most of us have probably night hiked to get into an area or site that we couldn't get to because of the drive time to the woods...(for us sometimes the only way to make a weekend trip worthwhile the drive time and gas $$$) LED lights are gamechangers. In NYS where we frequently camp year round, you are legal as long as you are 150+ feet away from a lake or stream, so lots of little night hikes to go check out the water, the stars, getting away from the campfire. Surprising at times how few lumens you need, but other times, how many just to stay on the trail.
Safe,yes; just a bit more concentration/planning is needed.
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